


Fairy Tail Watches Fairy Tail

by MandMandM



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Canon, Canon Era, Characters Watching Fairy Tail, Full of Fluff and Laughs, Gen, no Original Characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-16
Updated: 2016-07-25
Packaged: 2018-04-26 15:42:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5010418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MandMandM/pseuds/MandMandM
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lucy got a package. It turns out that someone filmed Fairy Tail's adventures from the moment Lucy arrived! Or maybe it's just ... the series's anime! Read the guild's reactions and comments as they watch Fairy Tail.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted at fanfictiondotnet over a year ago. Currently unfinished and the people over are wanting to kill me for it. Still I'd like to see the reception this fic could get here. :)
> 
> My "snobbish" AU from back then:  
> Sooo, this is basically manga meets anime. XD The story followed the events in the manga (so no Daphne and Key of the Starry Sky arc) and the Fairy Tail gang will watch the anime, so they'll be bound to point out differences like "hey, that didn't happen" etc. And because I can't stand fillers, I decided to drop them. Sorry.

"Oi, Lucy! Hurry up and come over inside!" Max Alors shouted from the guild's entrance.

Slightly baffled, Lucy Heartfilia jogged the remaining steps to her guild. Once she got inside, she noticed that a crowd had gathered at a table, seemingly fascinated over something. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Ah, Lucy-san!" Wendy Marvell said, coming up from the counter with Charle and Pantherlily. "A package came in addressed to you."

"Really?! Where is it?" Lucy was both confused and excited. She surely didn't get something to be sent over to the guild, but whatever was inside, she wanted to know. She loved gifts.

"Huh, I'm shocked you didn't notice. Right, Lily?" Charle said. Pantherlily merely smiled.

Then it hit Lucy. "Don't tell me"—she quickly turned to the noisy lump of people and pointed at that direction, her heart dropping—"it's over there?!"

Wendy gave a sheepish smile and Charle made a "what-did-you-expect-from-this-lot" expression. Lucy clenched her teeth and her hands became fists.

Just then, Natsu Dragneel broke free from the massive bodies with a large box in his hands. He saw Lucy and grinned. "Look, Lucy! You got something!" He rushed to her side, not noticing that Lucy was seething. "I can't open it, though."

Within a nanosecond, Natsu was sucker punched in the face. "JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, OPENING OTHER PEOPLE'S PACKAGES?!" Lucy bellowed.

"Ow. Hey, you're getting pretty strong, Lucy. That hurts," Natsu commented, not entirely fazed by her outburst and rubbing his jaw with his knuckle. "And I told you I can't open it."

Lucy growled and ignored his compliment. "So what if it you hadn't opened it? Do you really not know the word 'boundaries'? Gimme that!"She angrily snatched the box from Natsu.

"Oh my, Lucy is starting to get violent, too," Happy noted with a malicious smile. Lucy glared at him.  _I bet that stupid cat started all this_ , she thought

"Is that true, Lucy?" Mirajane Strauss had come over and asked, smiling her kind smile.

"Of course not, Mira. It's this two's fault for sticking their noses where it didn't belong again!"

"My, my, what's the commotion about this time, Natsu?" Makarov Dreyar, the current master, appeared in his customary orange-and-blue striped attire.

"Welcome back, Master," Mira greeted, smiling. Wendy said the same.

"Jii-chan!" Natsu shouted. "It's not me; it's Lucy."

"Wha—Master, I wasn't doing anything," Lucy hastily defended herself. "Natsu was being his normal, anno—ow!"

A table flew and brought Lucy down, taking Wendy, Charle, and Lily with her. With her package forgotten, the members had resorted back to their usual riot.

"Salamander, fight me!" Gajeel Redfox shouted.

"Last one standing wins! Whatcha say, you shitty flamer?" Gray Fullbuster challenged.

"Kyaa! Go, Gray-sama!" Juvia Lockser cheered.

Natsu's fists were suddenly on fire. "I'll take you both on at the same time. Bring it on!"

Master Makarov was unfazed, easily dodging the flying bottles and debris and still keeping both his hands on his back. "Of course, it's not your fault, Lucy." As he said this, however, his eyes were.…

"Please stop staring!" Lucy shrieked, standing up and adjusting her skirt.  _Jeez, the people here are all the same_ , Lucy thought helplessly.

"Master," Mira scolded.

The master became a crybaby at Mirajane's tone. "Ah, sorry, Mira-chan."

The doors opened and Team Shadow Gear, who were out on a job, arrived. Jet and Droy immediately joined in the ruckus.

Levy McGarden went to Lucy, Wendy, and Charle, who were straightening their clothes. "Lu-chan! How are you doing? Hi, Wendy, Charle, Lily!"

Wendy, Lily, and Charle greeted Levy back. Lucy brightened up at the sight of her friend. "Levy-chan, you're back! Oh, look here. I got a present!" she said, regaining her excitement.

"Wow, who sent it?"

"Er, actually, I have no idea."

Lucy finally took a good look at the parcel. It was wrapped in brown paper with a note on the top. It said:  _To Lucy Heartfilia. May the guild enjoy it_. Lucy snorted.  _So that's why Natsu and the others want to open it._

Levy read the note. "'May the guild enjoy it'? What does that mean?"

"Beats me. But Natsu said they couldn't open it." Lucy began unwrapping and was curious when she didn't have any difficulty in doing so. The paper revealed a red box. Lucy was starting to lift the lid when Charle gasped.

"Charle? What's wrong?" Wendy asked worriedly.

But Charle was looking at the box in Lucy's hands. "T-that box is…"

Lucy gave a shout of surprise as light streaked out, making her drop the box. The rioters stopped, and everyone looked up from where the light was forming into a giant Lacrima Vision.

"Oi, why is there a lacrima here?"

"Where did it come from?"

"Lu-chan, what's that?"

"I don't know! It suddenly came out of the box and—"

Suddenly, the name of their guild appeared on the screen.

FAIRY TAIL

Little did they know the surprise waiting for them.


	2. Episode 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NORMAL TEXT – what's happening in the story  
> BOLD TEXT – what's happening in the anime  
> BOLD AND ITALICIZED TEXT – words that the anime characters are saying (so it won't be very displeasing to the eye)

"Oi, oi, what's this?" Gray asked, his fists still half-raised.

**A picture of the land of Fiore appeared and a deep male voice started talking.**

**Narrator:** _**The Kingdom of Fiore. It's a stable, neutral country with a population of seventeen million. It is a world filled with magic. Magic is traded like common goods. It has become—** _

"Lucy, did you buy a documentary lacrima or something?" Cana Alberona piped up, drinking from her barrel and watching the "documentary" at the same time.

"I didn't! Um, Master, is that what this is?"

"Hmm, I'm unsure of it myself. Let's watch and see."

Levy produced chairs through Solid Script since the guild's chairs were currently unusable. "Here, Lu-chan, Wendy. Let's all watch."

Natsu yawned. "This is boring. I'm sure it's one of Lucy's chick flicks or something"—"It's not!" Lucy yelled—"Let's go on a job, Happy."

"Aye!"

"Hey, look. Isn't that Happy flying?" Warren Rocko asked in a disbelieving tone. That caught the attention of the rest of the guild, who were beginning to leave at the mention of a boring documentary.

"What?" Natsu and Happy said in sync.

"You're right!" Lucy said, bewildered.

**The city of Magnolia appeared and zoomed in at the very first Fairy Tail building.**

**Narrator:** _**Its name is … Fairy Tail.** _

**OP:** _**Fairy, where are you going? …..** _

The guild was too stunned at the sight of the first building. What's more, the opening music that started playing showed much more familiar faces.

"Look, isn't that Natsu standing and looking at the stars?" Lisanna Strauss asked, shocked.

"How adorable," Erza Scarlet said, who had just arrived and was sitting beside Wendy.

"Eh, Erza-san! When did you…?"

"Just two seconds ago."

"It's Lucy!" Bisca Connell said.

"Gray!" Alzack Connell exclaimed.

"Eh, me?"

Juvia fumed, "Why is Gray-sama with my love rival?!"

Max commented, "Oh, now it's Erza!"

"My, I look quite elegant in there."

"It's Natsu-nii again!"

"Wow, the cemetery loves me, huh?"

"It's documentary, moron!"

Lucy, still stunned, could only say, "What on Earth Land is this? Why are we in there?"

"SILENCE!" Master Makarov shouted. Everyone quickly complied. "This is quite a disturbing business. Happy, Natsu, Lucy, Gray, and Erza, do you know of your involvement in this?" The five of them said no. "Maybe some form of magic ran amok and created this lacrima. Hmm, I don't sense evil magic in it, though."

"Master, I think I know what it is," Charle spoke up in a feeble voice. "I had a premonition that says this lacrima will show the guild's adventures starting from Lucy's arrival."

"Eh?!" everyone exclaimed.

Lucy was almost tearful. "Why me again?"

"Did you really see that, Charle?" Master asked the female Exceed.

"Yes, just seconds before Lucy opened the box. To support what I said, that package was addressed to Lucy."

"That's right," Levy agreed. "And the note says, 'May the guild enjoy it.' That must mean this really is a video of Fairy Tail's adventures."

"What the hell?" Gajeel muttered.

"Ah, the cute song ended. Bring it back!" Asuka Connell frowned, but nobody shared her feelings.

The memory of her admission the guild flashed before Lucy's mind. "If that's true, then the first time I met Natsu…"

Mirajane smiled. "Oh, dear, that's cute." Lucy could only look dejectedly at the woman who was obviously obsessed with pairing people up.

**A train platform in Hargeon showed a train attendant trying to help out some passengers.**

**Train attendant:** _**U-um, mister?** _

**Happy:** _**Natsu! We've arrived at Hargeon! Get up! Get up!** _

**Train attendant:** _**I-Is he all right?** _

**Happy:** _**Yes! This happens all the time.** _

**Natsu:** _**It is hopeless. I will never ride a train again. Brrff.** _

The Fairy Tail mages all had "this-Natsu-can't-be-helped" expressions.

However, the fire dragon slayer in question was at the moment … also experiencing motion sickness. "Brrff. Remembering that day makes me want to... Brrff."

"Oi, don't you dare get that glittery stuff in here, idiot!"

"Ah! But if I remember correctly, you had two trips in the train," Happy said.

Natsu almost lost it as he watched himself get taken away in the moving vehicle. His guild mates could only shake their heads at the helpless mage.

**The mark of Fairy Tail appeared along with the words, Fairy Tail. In a magic store, Lucy appeared.**

**Lucy:** _**Eh? This is the only magical store in this town?** _

"Oh, no! This will be embarrassing." Lucy covered her burning face with both hands.

**The store owner explained that fishing is more prosperous. Then Lucy expressed her desire to buy gate keys. She saw the Key of the Canis Minor key and got thrilled.**

**Lucy:** _**How much?** _

**Store Owner:** _**Twenty thousand jewels.** _

**Lucy:** _**I wonder how much it is.** _

**Store Owner:** _**Like I said, twenty thousand jewels.** _

**Lucy sat on the counter and crossed her legs.**

**Lucy:** _**I wonder how much it really is, handsome mister. *wink*** _

"Wah! You didn't, Lu-chan?" Levy asked, both a little embarrassed and amazed. Lucy could only blush.

"Next time we buy something, let's try that," Erza said with a glint in her eyes.

"No way!"

"Let's do it, Levy, Lucy, Juvia!"

"NO!"

Gajeel, Natsu, and Gray had a disbelieving look on their faces.

**Lucy was walking in town, angry at the mere one thousand discount she'd had. A little while later, she spotted a large crowd.**

**Random Girl 1:** _**A famous mage is in town?!** _

**Random Girl 2:** _**It is Salamander-sama!** _

Gray said, disgusted, "Salamander-sama?"

Elfman Strauss clapped Natsu on the shoulder. "You're the man!"

"That's not me!" Natsu said at the same time Lucy said, "It's not him." They grinned at each other when they remembered who Salamander-sama really was.

"They lllllike each other!" Happy gushed.

"Shut up!"

**On the other hand, Natsu and Happy were in the same town, looking for Salamander.**

**Natsu:** _**The Salamander we are looking for is Igneel, right?** _

**Happy:** _**Yes. Only Igneel can be called the Fire Dragon, don't you think?** _

**Natsu:** _**I guess.** _

**Random girl 1:** _**Salamander-sama!** _

**Random girl 2:** _**You're so handsome!** _

**Natsu and Happy:** _**Salamander?!** _

**Natsu:** _**See? Speaking of the devil…** _

Many fell off their chairs. Gray and Gajeel were laughing at an irritated Natsu.

"You … really … think … Igneel … would … be … in … Hargeon?!" Gray managed to gasp.

Natsu scowled. "You got a problem with that, hentai bastard?" Everyone just laughed at him.

**Lucy was among the crowd of Salamander fans, blushing, and her heart beating very fast. When Salamander looked at her, Lucy was thinking that maybe she was falling in love.**

**But then, Natsu arrived and brought her back to her senses.**

**Natsu:** _**Igneel! … Who are you?** _

**Salamander:** _**What if I say I'm Salamander?** _ ***turns to Natsu, but Natsu is gone*** _**Wah, damn fast!** _

**Natsu got beaten up by the fans after ignoring the rumored famous mage. Salamander calmed his fans by telling Natsu didn't mean it. Lucy was seen glaring at Salamander.**

"Something's wrong?" Lily asked uncertainly.

"Heh, the bastard was using a Charm," Max said, disgusted.

"A what?"

"I'll explain it, I think," Lucy interjected. "We'll see."

**After Salamander invited the ladies and left, Natsu was asking Happy who the mage was. However, Lucy replied that Salamander was a disgusting guy and thanked Natsu and Happy, confounding the two.**

**At a restaurant, Lucy introduced herself to Natsu and Happy. However, Natsu was wolfing down as quickly as he could, spilling bits of food.**

"How rude," Charle said disapprovingly.

"Next time, show some decency when a stranger treats you," Master chided.

"But Lucy is not a stranger."

"You really are an idiot, you know that?" Gajeel taunted. Natsu raised his fist to start another fight, but was squashed by a large arm.

**Lucy:** _**Well, that Salamander guy was using a Charm, in other words a fascination spell. It influences the heart by attracting one to the caster, but it was banned several years ago.** _

"Ohhh," Lily, and even Wendy, said in understanding.

_I never thought of a Charm. Finally, a way to Gray-sama's heart!_ Juvia giggled to herself.

"What are you giggling about over there?"

"It's nothing, Gray-sama."

**While Natsu and Happy continued eating, Lucy told them that she was also a mage but hadn't entered a guild yet. She had her eyes on a certain guild, though, raving about it.**

"Are you talking about Fairy Tail?" Levy asked Lucy.

"Mmhm. But at that moment, I won't know that Natsu and Happy are part of the guild."

"We were too busy with the food! Plus, Lucy was very noisy," Happy said.

"Who are you calling noisy?!"

**Lucy:** _**Ah, by the way, you guys seemed to be looking for someone.** _

**Happy:** _**Aye! Igneel.** _

**Natsu:** _**We heard that Salamander was in this town, so we decided to check it out, but he turned out to be a different person.** _

**Happy:** _**Salamander was his name, but he didn't look like one.** _

**Natsu:** _**Since I heard he was the Fire Dragon, I was sure it was Igneel.** _

Gray snorted.

"Gray, you bastard!"

"What?"

**When Lucy asked how Igneel, the Fire Dragon, looked like as a human, Natsu replied that Igneel wasn't human; he was a real dragon. This shocked Lucy.**

**Lucy:** _**There's no way such a thing would be in the middle of a town, right?! Hey, don't make a face like you just realized that!** _

**As Lucy got up to leave, Natsu and Happy knelt and started thanking her profusely.**

Lucy melted in her chair as she relived that experience.

"Lucy-san, are you okay? Hang in there."

"At least those two remembered to thank you, am I right?" Mira beamed.

**Sitting on one of the benches, Lucy was reading the Weekly Sorcerer.**

**Lucy:** _**Oh my, Fairy Tail caused trouble again?** _

Master muttered, "Don't you guys always?"

**Lucy:** _**Ah, this gravure belongs to Mirajane!** _

The males' reaction was very predictable.

"Uwa! Mira-chan in a bikini!" Wakaba Mine exclaimed dreamily.

"Oi, anyone who talks about my sister, face me and be a man!" Elfman bellowed.

"Elf-niichan, calm down!"

"Hey, stop the racket! We're trying to watch here."

"Quiet!" Master ordered, and again, everyone followed obediently.

**Lucy:** _**The mage guild, Fairy Tail … it is the coolest one!** _

"Truer words have never been said. Well done, Lucy," Erza praised, hugging the blonde to her armored chest.

"Ow, hard!"

**Salamander appeared from the bushes. Lucy informed him how she knew he was using a Charm and how it would now not work on her. The male mage said it was fine as long as Lucy came to the party. However, Lucy was adamant on not going, seeing as how Salamander was using illegal magic in order to get famous.**

**Salamander:** _**You want to get to Fairy Tail, right? Haven't you heard of Fairy Tail's Salamander?** _

Romeo slammed his fist to the table. "Why is he pretending to be Natsu-nii?!"

"Hoh, disgracing the name of Fairy Tail…." Erza said, a sword suddenly materializing in her hand. "Natsu, Lucy, did you take care of this guy?"

"Can't remember," Natsu said dismissively.

"We did!" Lucy replied hastily, calming down the now scary-looking Erza.

**Lucy became friendly when Salamander offered to help her get into Fairy Tail, and agreed to attend the party.**

Scary Erza was back. "Luuuccyyy…."

"I'm so sorry! Don't kill me!"

**Night had finally fallen, and Natsu and Happy were relaxing on the roadside after stuffing themselves. Happy saw a ship and wondered if that was the venue of Salamander's party, making Natsu feel sick.**

**Random Girl 1:** _**Look at that! That's Salamander-sama's ship!** _

**Random Girl 2:** _**I wanted to go!** _

**Random Girl 3:** _**Salamander?** _

**Random Girl 1:** _**Don't you know him? He is that famous mage of Fairy Tail who is currently in town!** _

**Natsu:** _**Fairy Tail?** _

"Goodness, people do not even know our guild members' faces," Master remarked.

"That was seven years ago, Master," Mira said calmly. "Now I'm sure everyone knows Natsu and the others, what with the Grand Magic Games and all."

**On the ship, Salamander was with Lucy, conversing and having a drink with her. Drops of juice floated, and Salamander told Lucy to open her mouth for the drink. Before taking them in, however, Lucy slapped the drops away.**

**Lucy:** _**What is the meaning of this? That's a tranquilizing spell. It's Sleep, right?** _

"Amazing! You found that out quickly!" Laki Olietta praised.

"Bastard, what is he trying to do?" Macao Conbolt asked.

**Lucy:** _**Don't get the wrong idea. I want to join Fairy Tail, but I don't have any intention of staying with you.** _

"You go, Lu-chan!"

"Ah, that was nothing," Lucy said, embarrassed.

**A number of guys carrying unconscious women arrived. Salamander told Lucy to behave until they arrived at Bosco.**

**Lucy:** _**Hey, what about Fairy Tail?** _

**Salamander:** _**Give it up already. You're our property now.** _

**Lucy tried to escape by fighting with her magic, but her keys were stolen from her by Salamander. Then, he threw the keys into the sea.**

_I'm pretty sure my keys weren't stolen like that. Hmmm,_  Lucy thought.

"That guy is getting on my nerves, too," Cana said.

Many of the Fairy Tail mages shared her sentiment.

**Lucy:** _**What kind of person is he? How can a person do something like that? So this … so this is what a Fairy Tail mage is like! Using magic for evil intents and tricking people … you are the worst mage!** _

Master Makarov jumped on the table and bellowed, "All right, brats! We're hunting down this imbecile who dares to mock Fairy Tail!"

The men, plus Erza, shouted their approval.

"Master, don't make rash decisions," Mira said kindly. "Remember, this happened seven years ago. The military have most likely caught this man."

"That's right, Master," Lucy said. "And if you just wait and watch, Natsu will beat that damn fake Salamander!" Her tone was filled with glee and pride.

However, Natsu was left scratching his head. "Oh? Did I really do that?"

Lucy huffed. "How can you not remember?"

"Shh!" Asuka interjected and got everybody's attention. "Can you all please keep quiet. I wanna know what'll happen next!" Alzack and Bisca smiled at their adorable little girl.

**Just then, a person fell from the sky and crashed in the ship.**

**Lucy:** _**Natsu!** _

"Oh, my. Natsu saved Lucy." Mira giggled to herself.

"Mira!"

**Natsu:** _**… It's hopeless! I can't hold it. Brrff.** _

"You're pathetic, Salamander!" Gajeel spat.

"You saying something? Don't tell me you've forgotten about Chameleon." Natsu smirked.

A snort came from Gray. "Stupid, that was Chariot not Chameleon."

**Happy:** _**Lucy, what are you doing here?** _

**Lucy:** _**Happy! He fooled me by saying he would help me join Fairy Tail. By the way, did you have wings before?** _

"It's Aera magic," Charle informed Lucy.

"Uh, I know. But at that time, you know, I had no idea."

"It's the magic of the Exceed race," Lily added.

"Can you stop lecturing me, please?" Lucy asked, her face expressionless.

**Happy carried Lucy and flew away. Salamander tried to stop them using his magic.**

"Hey, Happy, weren't we also attacked by guns?"

"Aye!"

"Hmm, a missing scenario," Master hummed. "Interesting."

**Happy:** _**My transformation has a time limit.** _

**Lucy:** _**Damn cat!** _

"This is getting interesting," Erza commented.

"Er, you really enjoy seeing others in pain, don't you?" Lucy asked.

"Hoh?"

"Just kidding! Look, I'm about to use magic!"

**Lucy:** _**Here I go! Open, Gate of the Water Bearer! Aquarius!** _

"Mermaid!" Asuka cheered.

"Aquarius-san!" Juvia glowed at the sight of her water buddy.

"Whoa, Aquarius is so damn hot, Lucy!" Max exclaimed.

"If she weren't so scary, I'd like her as a fish," Happy remarked.

"Do you even know what you're saying?" Charle asked.

"But, wow, that was a beautiful way of showing a Celestial Spirit summoning. But c'mon, I can't even spin my key like that," Lucy muttered, aghast.

**Lucy:** _**Aquarius, use your power and push that ship back to the port!** _

**Aquarius:** _**Tch.** _

**Lucy:** _**Did you just say "tch"?!** _

**Happy:** _**You shouldn't be worried about something so trivial.** _

**Aquarius:** _**Noisy little girl, let me tell you again. If you drop my key again, I will kill you.** _

**Lucy and Happy:** _**S-Sorry.** _

"I-I take back what I said," Max said weakly.

"Why aren't you on good terms with Aquarius?"

"S-She's just scary, that's all, Levy-chan."

"I think she's cool! Look how she used her power," Lisanna said.

"She  _is_  scary!"

**Lucy:** _**Don't wash me away with them, too!** _

**After Aquarius and Lucy's little fight, with the blue mermaid saying she was leaving for a trip with her boyfriend.**

"Oh, the ship's lying on its side!" Happy exclaimed.

Wendy asked, "Isn't that what happened then?"

"I'm sure the ship was upright … right Natsu?"

"No idea."

**Lucy:** _**Natsu!** _

**Natsu:** _**Are a mage of Fairy Tail?** _

**Salamander:** _**What if I am? Hey, finish him off!** _

**Hoodlums 1 and 2:** _**Okay!** _

**Natsu:** _**Let me take a good look at your face.** _

"Go beat them up, Natsu-nii!"

"Make them rue the day they dirtied up our name!"

**Natsu:** _**I am Natsu of Fairy Tail. And I haven't seen you before!** _

**Lucy:** _**Fairy Tail?! Natsu is a mage from Fairy Tail?** _

"Really, you two should learn to introduce yourselves properly," Erza said.

"Yeah, yeah."

**Random Guy:** _**He is the real thing, Bora-san!** _

**Bora (fake Salamander):** _**Idiot! Don't call me by that name!** _

"Bora, eh? Let's go kick his ass!"

"Oh, my, I told you this is seven years ago."

"Where did you get all that information, Happy?" Charle inquired about the blue Exceed's knowledge of Bora.

"Just around town. Gossip is quite useful, you know."

"Weeellll, not all the time," Lucy said uncertainly.

"Aye!"

"Aye? How can you agree with me after saying what you did?!"

**Natsu:** _**… but I can't forgive anyone who pretends to be from Fairy Tail.** _

"You better have kicked his sorry ass, flame brain!"

"You sayin' something, ice bastard?!"

Max shushed them. "We're getting into the good stuff now! …. I think."

**Bora launched a fire attack on Natsu. Lucy panicked but Happy stopped her from doing anything. After thinking that he'd won, Bora started to leave, but stopped at Natsu's taunt. Natsu proceeded to eat the flames, shocking the opponents and Lucy. Happy revealed that fire wouldn't work on the real Fairy Tail mage.**

"Damn right! Go beat him, self!"

"Er, that was a weird cheer."

**Natsu started his attack with his Fire Dragon's Breath.**

Droy pointed at the lacrima in shock. "Wow, there's a dragon behind Natsu!"

"What? Does that mean when I use a breath attack, a dragon appears behind me?!" Natsu said, looking thrilled.

"Idiot! This is obviously an interpretation of a magic attack. Remember Lucy's attack with Aquarius?" Erza explained.

"Ohhh.… I don't get it, but this is cool!"

**Bora's accomplices took a hit, but Bora survived by using his magic. One of the guys then said that he recognized Natsu and that he was the real—**

**Lucy:** _**Salamander!** _

"You look like a monster there for a moment, Natsu." Nab laughed.

"For a moment? He's always been a monster to me." Warren snickered.

"You jerks!"

**Natsu:** _**This is what a Fairy Tail mage is about!** _

**Shaken, Bora attacked once more but was easily dodged by Natsu.**

**Lucy:** _**He eats fire and attacks with it? Is this really magic?** _

**Happy:** _**Dragon lungs to emit flames, dragon scales to dissolve flames, and dragon nails to engrave the flames. That's an ancient spell that transforms your body into that of a dragon. In other words, it's a counter spell.** _

**Lucy:** _**What is that?** _

**Happy:** _**Originally, it was a dragon interception spell. Dragon Slayer Magic! Igneel taught Natsu that.** _

"Wow, I've never heard the entire details of Natsu-nii's power before this. That's so cool."

"Ahahahaha! Of course!" Natsu kept cackling.

"You shouldn't have complimented him in the first place, Romeo," Lucy advised.

"Oi, you're not the only Dragon Slayer here, Salamander. Just wait till I show up."

"Will you even show up?"

"Of course I will!"

**The fake Salamander tried to fight back, but was easily overpowered by the real one. Natsu finished the fight with his Fire Dragon's Fist.**

**Lucy:** _**Amazing. It's amazing but … he's overdoing it!** _

Lisanna smiled. "Typical Natsu."

"But now he has Lucy to tame him. Hahahaha!" Mira giggled.

"WHAT?!"

"Oi, since when did I become an animal to be tamed, huh?"

**Lucy:** _**Military!** _

**Natsu: *takes Lucy with him*** _**Crap, let's run!** _

**Lucy:** _**Why me, too?** _

**Natsu:** _**Because you want to join our guild, right?** _ ***smiles*** _**Come with us!** _

**Lucy: *smiles back*** _**Okay!** _

**The ED started.**

"Wah, what a wonderful first meeting!" Juvia sighed. "I can feel the love already. And to think you want to steal Gray-sama from me."

"Excuse me?!"

"Oh, my, that was cute!" Mirajane exclaimed.

"If you're coming to the guild, does that mean we're going to show up next?" Macao asked but was ignored.

"Nice songie!" Asuka told her parents. "Let's play it again!"

Master scratched his chin. "Is that all?"

The ending music was about Lucy dreaming of his dream prince.

Erza squinted. "Is that you, Lucy?"

Lucy saw the animation of her with her Spirits and others. For her, it was a mortifying thing to see. "Wah, turn it off! What's that?! I look like a fool!"

"Lucy … it's actually brilliant. Very lively."

"Wah! Not you, too, Erza. Everyone, please stop picking on me! And can someone skip this stupid song!"

Much to Lucy's shock—and relief—the ending music stopped. Another video started, and the deep-voiced man who preached about Fiore's history played again.

"A replay? Who did it?"

"Wait, maybe me… Next! … If there is anything more than what we've seen, I mean."

At Lucy's words, the video skipped to the opening music. After another next, the video was showing a preview of what happened on Natsu and Lucy's first meeting.

"Prepare yourselves," Master Makarov warned. "I have a feeling that this is the second part. A second episode, if you will."

"WHAT?!"


	3. Episode 2

Soon, the preview ended, and everyone waited in anticipation of what was to come.

**A large, sophisticated-looking building appeared.**

**Narrator:** _**The Magic Council, ERA.** _

"We even get to see the Council?! Just what is this lacrima?" Master Makarov asked, astonished. He reached for his drink almost subconsciously.

**Council Member #1:** _**Those Fairy Tail idiots did it again.** _

And only to spit out the contents of having to hear the guild's name.

"Master, mind the floor!" Mirajane chastised.

"Wah, sorry, Mira-chan."

**Council Member #2:** _**They destroyed half a harbor this time.** _

"Heh, more than half of the reports are always done by Natsu, you know," Gray said, as if the Council members could hear him.

"Hey, you saying something again, you—" Natsu was cut off by Erza's shout of surprise.

"Jellal," Erza whispered, eyes wide at the blue-haired mage she was seeing on the lacrima.

"Oh, my," Mira teased.

"Oh, that's right. Jellal was still part of the council at that time. Then does that mean the Tower of Heaven will be …" Lucy trailed off as Erza's face darkened.

Gray broke the tension. "C'mon, Erza, that was all in the past. Aren't you on good terms with him now?"

Happy flew from wherever he was and giggled. "That's right. She was dumped by Jellal, though. Uwaaa!" He dodged the sword that suddenly flew at him, gulping at how close that was to his whiskers. But what was even scarier was Erza's expression. "I'm sorry, Erza! Natsu, help me!"

At the words of his best friend, Natsu stood up. "Don't bully him, Erza. Happy's just a caaa…" His words faltered as he cowered at the frightening glare of the female swordsman.

"Don't interfere, Natsu," Erza threatened in a low voice.

"A-aye. Sorry, Happy."

"Uwaaa, I hate you, Natsuuu!" Happy flew out of the guild with Erza still following him, holding one of her dangerous swords. A few moments later, Erza returned with a smug smile and sat back on her seat, with Happy nowhere to be seen. Almost everyone gulped.

"Er, look, the Council let us off the hook and I'm about to join Fairy Tail." Lucy ended her sentence like a question.

**The title that appeared was "Fire Dragon, Monkey, and Bull."**

"Hmm, fire dragon, monkey, and bull … Those words seem familiar," Natsu said.

"Aye!" Happy agreed. Much to everyone's relief, he was alive albeit sporting bruises and walking with a stick. "The Macao incident."

Macao grimaced at the memory of his not-so-fateful encounter with the Vulcans seven years ago while Wakaba laughed at him. Macao glared at his friend and grunted, "Shut up! I'm the star of this thing now. Bet you fifty jewels that I'll appear first!"

Wakaba grinned. "Deal!"

**Natsu kicked open the door with a furious face.**

**Natsu:** _**We're back!** _

**Happy:** _**We're back!** _

**The members of Fairy Tail greeted them back.**

"Ah, that's me, oui!" Reedus exclaimed at the sight of his back—which was still big and wide.

Wakaba barked out a laugh. "Ha! I appeared first, Macao! What about that?!" Macao was grumbling under his breath as he pulled out some cash.

"Ah!" Natsu bellowed suddenly. "I remember that bastard who tricked me about Igneel's whereabouts. Where the hell is he?"

"Oh, he's gone somewhere. Don't know where," Max replied.

"What?"

The boys argued back and forth, rivaling the building fight on the lacrima. Meanwhile, Wendy noted in a timid voice, "I guess this is how Fairy Tail always welcomes the newcomers, huh?"

"You haven't seen the worse parts yet, Wendy," Lucy sighed.

**Lucy: Wow. I've actually made it into Fairy Tail.**

Carla and Lily stared at Lucy, both expressionless.

"What? I was too happy to get into the guild to mind their stupid fight!"

**A familiar half-naked man appeared, shocking Lucy.**

**Gray:** _**What? So Natsu's back?!** _

**Narrator:** _**This man is Gray Fullbuster. He is capable at his work but has a small, or rather extreme, habit of taking off his clothes.** _

Almost everyone laughed.

"So true!" Cana gasped out.

Juvia sighed, unfazed. "You're so amazing, Gray-sama. Accept my love-filled embrace."

"No, thank you." Gray escaped from Juvia's clutches at the last minute. "Oi, why do I have to get introduced like that?"

"Who cares? It's true you're perverted, after all." Natsu smirked.

Gray stood up but Master called for order, and everything was peaceful once more.

**The next to show up was a scantily-clad brunette who was drinking wine.**

Cana grinned.

**Cana:** _**Gray, your clothes.** _

**Gray: *shocked*** _**Oh, no!** _

**Narrator:** _**This woman is Cana Alberona, the biggest drinker in Fairy Tail.** _

"Damn right you are, unknown old man!" Cana cheered as she raised her tankard and proceeded to empty its contents in one go.

"Cana, slow down. It's not even noon yet," Mirajane reminded with a sweet smile.

**Gray challenges Natsu to a fight and was told to dress up first. A pair of wooden sandals came into view.**

**Elfman:** _**All this crying and whining before noon?** _

"Hahaha, here I come!" Elfman bellowed.

**Elfman:** _**You aren't kids, you know.** _

**Narrator:** _**This man is Elfman. He performs jobs with his fists only. He is a super-muscled mage.** _

**Elfman:** _**A man should talk with his fists!** _

**Lucy:** _**So all he does is fight …** _

"True!" several men exclaimed. Elfman complained while Lisanna tried to calm his brother down.

**Natsu and Gray showed up and punched Elfman away.**

**Natsu and Gray:** _**Get out of the way!** _

**Lucy:** _**And he got beaten!** _

Natsu and Gray snickered. Elfman scowled. "I still need to train more! Like a man!"

**Another mage spoke up, capturing Lucy's attention.**

**Loki:** _**Oh, my, how noisy.** _

"Loki-san!" Wendy gasped.

Lucy turned to her. "Ah, that's right. You didn't know. When I first met Loki, I didn't know he was a Celestial Spirit. He was pretending to be a human mage here at Fairy Tail for almost three years! But we sorted things out and he agreed to be one of my friends." Lucy smiled.

"You're a Celestial Spirit mage, and you didn't know when a spirit is in front of you?" Charle said rather arrogantly.

The mage in question froze and stuttered out, "I-it's not like th-that at all. Let's just watch, okay?" It ended with a nervous laugh.

"Oh, my, Lucy! Loki was in your Eligible Mage To Be A Boyfriend list?! Why didn't you tell me?" Mira really looked hurt. Lucy had recovered from Charle's unexpected criticism only to gape at Mira's words.

"EH?!"

"You called, Lucy, my love?" Loki or Leo the Lion of the Zodiac appeared out of nowhere—no doubt freely passing through the Celestial gates once more—and knelt before Lucy. "Ah, is that me? Fufufufu, those were wonderful days. I heard everything, by the way," he added before Lucy could ask.

"Wait a minute," Erza interrupted. "That picture above Loki's resembles Jellal. Lucy, you won't happen to have.…"

This time, Lucy's voice was louder and more shocked. "EHHHHH! Of course not, Erza! I don't even know this happened. I mean, it didn't happen! Nope, definitely not." She was vehemently shaking her head.

"Oi, oi, noisy brats. Mira-chan's here! Don't ruin it for her!" Macao and Wakaba shouted.

**Narrator:** _**This woman is Mirajane. She is the mage who was featured on the Weekly Sorcerer's gravure. She's currently a Fairy Tail employee.** _

Almost every male had hearts in their eyes at Mira's magazine photos.

"Oh, my, I missed those magazine shots. Should I accept Jason's invitation?" Mira commented.

"Yes, Mira-chan!" Macao and Wakaba replied.

**Mirajane:** _**They're always like that. It's better not to interfere. Besides—** _

**Elfman fell on top of her and cut her off. Lucy screamed in surprise and shock.**

**Mirajane:** _**It is fun, right?** _

**Even with a huge lump on her head, Mirajane was able to smile and say that. Afterwards, she passed out.**

**Lucy:** _**Aaaahh! Mirajane-san!** _

"Mira-nee!"

"Nee-chan!"

The two younger Strauss siblings exclaimed at the same time. Then Elfman started apologizing to Mira.

Mira smiled. "That's okay. It's not like it doesn't always happened." She giggled.

"That's very creepy, Mira. You know."

**Gray:** _**Ah, my underwear!** _

**Lucy:** _**Aaaahh!** _

**Gray:** _**Miss, if you don't mind, can you let me borrow your underw—** _

**Lucy: *sends Gray flying with a bat*** _**Like I would!** _

**Loki:** _**Those indelicate guys are troublesome, right?** _

**Elfman: *punches Loki away*** _**Men talk with their—** _

**Natsu: *kicks Elfman away*** _**You are in the way!** _

**Happy:** _**Aye!** _

Master Makarov merely sighed.

**Cana expressed her irritation and decided to use magic. Gray, Elfman, Loki, Natsu and the others followed suit.**

**Lucy:** _**They're gonna fight with magic?** _

**Happy:** _**Aye!** _

**Lucy:** _**Don't say "Aye!"!** _

**Suddenly, a big foot came into view and a big, black figure appeared.**

Wendy shrieked. "Who is that?"

"Ah, it's just Master."

"Master?"

Master, on the other hand, was silent and had his head bowed, making several people worried. After a moment, he met everyone's stare with a wide grin. "I finally appeared!"

"What?!"

**Big, Black Figure:** _**Stop this, you fools!** _

**Lucy:** _**A giant?!** _

**Everyone froze and fell silent.**

**Mirajane:** _**Oh, you were here, Master?** _

**Master:** _**Yes.** _

**Lucy:** _**Master?** _

**Natsu started laughing.**

**Natsu:** _**Everyone's scared stiff! Victory is mi—** _

**He was squashed by Master's huge foot before he could finish, making Lucy squeal.**

"Oi, Jii-chan, what was that for?"

"You brat!" Master hit Natsu in the head. "Learn some respect!"

**After the master spotted Lucy, he started shrinking, making the newbie more nervous. The real form of the master of Fairy Tail was a small, old man.**

**Master:** _**Glad to have you onboard!** _

**Lucy:** _**He's tiny! And if you're the master….** _

**Mira formally introduced Master Makarov to Lucy. However, to doubt his position perhaps, Master flew to the second floor, only to hit the railings. He righted himself and cleared his throat.**

The lacrima then showed much more interesting things than Master's blunder.

"Oh, that's me, Droy, and Levy-chan!" Jet exclaimed. "Look how thin you were, Droy!" He cracked up.

"Shrimp?!" Gajeel said in shock.

Levy became self-conscious at Gajeel's comment. "Why? Is there something wrong with me?"

Cana broke free from her endless alcohol splurging to say, "He's surprised to see you have big boobs in there."

Levy shrieked, and Lucy defended her from Cana's dunken taunts with an angry warning not to say anything about Levy to Gajeel.

**Master scolded everyone for being reckless and destroying private and public property while on the job.**

**Master:** _**However … screw the Council!** _ ***burns paper and making Natsu eat it***

"You're like a dog." Gray smirked.

"Shut up!"

**Master:** _**Listen up! Magic is an unreasonable power, but it is born from reason. It is not some miraculous ability; it is the combination of the spirit that flows within us with the spirit that flows within nature itself, incarnated into physical form! It takes a strong mind and focus. In fact, magic is the pouring out of one's entire soul. One cannot progress in the way of magic by being mindful of the watchful eye from above. Be not afraid of those fools on the Council and follow the path you believe in! That's what it means to be a Fairy Tail wizard!** _

"That was the most coherent and the wisest speech you had, Master," Mira noted with a smile.

Master, who had been smiling and nodding at his own speech, fell of his chair. "You're so harsh, Mira-chan~"

Innocent people like Wendy smiled widely and felt happy after hearing those words.

Lucy smiled as she remembered that day and the feeling those words elicited from her.

Actually, a lot of mages smiled at their sometimes-childish master's speech.

"Wait a minute! Why are we doing my and Laxus's sign? What is this supposed to mean? Ah, Kinana-chan, thank you for the drink!" And with a fresh supply of beer, Master forgot what he was saying.

"Ah, I really miss the ol' building," Natsu sighed sadly. "We had to replace it just because some jerk felt like impaling other people's guilds."

"Oi, are you talking about me, Salamander?" Gajeel shouted, glaring at Natsu.

Natsu answered with a glare. "Whaddaya think, stupid?"

"Grrr!" they both exclaimed before Master stopped them with his magic.

**Lucy was admiring her newly-imprinted guild mark and showed it to Natsu happily.**

**Natsu:** _**Ah, really? Good for you, Luigi.** _

**Lucy:** _**It's Lucy!** _

"You're the stupid one. How could you forget bunny girl's name," Gajeel muttered.

"What was that?" Natsu exclaimed. "I don't hear ya calling Lucy by her name either!"

"My, my, is this a love triangle?" Mira giggled.

"Mira!" Lucy screeched as she reassured a stunned Levy.

**Natsu was standing in front of the Request Board, looking for a job to do, with Happy saying they get one with a high reward. When they settled what job they would do, a familiar voice got both the attention of the guild on the Lacrima Vision and the real world.**

"It's Romeo!" Happy pointed out.

**Romeo:** _**Isn't my dad back yet?** _

**Master:** _**You are annoying, Romeo. You're a mage's son, so wait quietly at home and believe in your dad.** _

**Romeo:** _**But he said he would be back within three days….** _

"You look so young in here, Romeo!" Wakaba exclaimed. "Man, this really brings me back! Right, Macao?"

Macao, however, was looking uncharacteristically serious. He remembered this. It was the job with the stupid Vulcans where Natsu had saved him. He was really grateful for that kid for saving him, but he couldn't help the feeling of shame wash over him as he watched his son worry over him.

"Cheer up, Dad! This is all in the past. It's nothing to get worried about, right?" Romeo grinned.

Macao finally lightened up and ruffled his son's hair.

Out of the corner of his eye, Natsu watched them with a slight smile, thinking of his own father.  _Igneel, wherever you are. I_ will  _find you!_

**After Romeo tried and failed to persuade Master Makarov to search for his father in Mt. Hakobe, he punched Master and ran out of the guild.**

"Ouch!" Master grimaced, massaging his face as if he could feel the punch, too.

"Sorry, Master!" Romeo said quickly.

**Lucy:** _**He's very strict.** _

**Mirajane:** _**Even though he said that, Master is worried about him as well.** _

Macao, who was already feeling down, sniffled as he heard that. "Thank you, Masteeeeerr!"

"Shut your trap!" Master screamed. And Mira, Lucy, and the others laughed.

**Natsu destroyed the Request Board and walked out, following Romeo.**

**Nab:** _**Master, this isn't good. He is going to save Macao.** _

Macao sniffled again. "Thank you, Natsssssuu!"

"No prob!" Natsu gave him a thumbs-up.

"Stop whining like a girl, Macao!" Max, Nab, and Warren said, annoyed, as Macao finally sobbed loudly.

**Master allowed Natsu, saying that no one could decide the path that one must take. Lucy worriedly asked what the matter was with Natsu.**

**Mira:** _**Natsu is just like Romeo-kun. Maybe he saw himself in him.** _

At those words, Romeo's eyes sparkled. "Really, Mira-san? Are Natsu-nii and I really alike?"

Natsu grinned and was about to say something but was shushed by Mira's fans.

"Her speech isn't finished yet!" Wakaba hissed.

**Mira:** _**We, Fairy Tail mages, all carry something within us. Scars, pain, or sufferings.** _

No one knew what to say after hearing those words. Deep down, all of them knew that what Mira had said was very true but they couldn't find it in themselves to agree or deny.

Mira decided to break the somber mood. "Cheer up. As long as we have each other, we can deal with anything, right?"

Everyone smiled at that.

**It was suddenly daylight in the middle of the forest, with a horse-drawn carriage in sight.**

**Natsu:** _**Why are you here?** _

**Lucy:** _**Why not? Besides, you really can't deal with transportation vehicles, huh? I pity you in so many ways.** _

Natsu and the Natsu on the lacrima said the same thing. "What do you mean by that?"

Lucy laughed. "Just like I said, nothing!" Natsu just scowled.

**The scene shifted back to Mira and Lucy's conversation.**

**Mira:** _**Natsu's dad left and didn't return as well. Even though I said dad, I meant his foster parent. It was a dragon.** _

**Lucy:** _**Huh? Dragon?! Natsu was raised by a dragon?!** _

"That's what Mira said, Lucy. Are you deaf?"

"Shut up, you damn cat if you don't want to be beaten a second time!"

**Mira: *nods*** _**That dragon found him in the forest when he was little. He taught him how to speak, read, and use magic. However, one day, that dragon disappeared from Natsu's sight.** _

Natsu, who had taken a sharp intake of breath at the images of him and Igneel clenched his fist as he remembered the day Igneel had left.

Wendy wiped the tears in her eyes. "Igneel seems like a great dragon, too. I miss Grandine."

Gajeel grunted. He didn't want to agree or comment about what Wendy said but he also yearned to see his dragon again.

**Lucy:** _**I see. So that's Igneel.** _

**Mira:** _**Natsu is looking forward to the day he can see Igneel again. Isn't that cute?** _

"What's cute about that?" Natsu muttered.

Mira giggled. "Isn't it?" They could never understand how her mind worked.

**The carriage stopped and it was snowing outside, shocking Lucy.**

**Lucy:** _**It is freezing! Even though this is a mountain, it's summertime! A blizzard like this is just weird!** _

**Natsu:** _**That's cause you're lightly dressed.** _

**Lucy:** _**Aren't you as well?** _

"Well, he's a dense idiot. What can you say?" Gray shrugged.

"What was that?!"

**Lucy pulled Natsu's blanket out and draped it around herself. Still cold, she decided to use magic.**

**Lucy:** _**Open, Gate of the Clock! Horologium!** _

"Wow, Horologium-san!" Wendy gushed, still feeling thankful for the grandfather clock's help back at Tenrou Island.

**Horologium:** _**She says, "I will stay here."** _

**Natsu:** _**Then why did you come with us?** _

**Horologium:** _**She says, "What kind of job was Macao-san doing in a place like this?"** _

**Natsu:** _**Did you come with us without knowing that? He was gonna destroy the atrocious monster Vulcan.** _

**Horologium:** _**She says, "I wanna go back."** _

**Natsu:** _**I say, "Okay, head back then."** _

"That clock sure is irritating," Natsu said.

"Hey, don't hate Horologium!" Lucy huffed.

"Yet you dared to copy his manner of speech." Erza smiled, clearly on Lucy's side.

**Natsu was shouting for Macao when a Vulcan landed from above. Natsu dodged the attack. However, before he could fight with it, the Vulcan took off into another direction.**

**And that direction led to Lucy.**

**Vulcan:** _**You are a human woman.** _

**Natsu:** _**So you can speak, huh?** _

**Horologium:** _**She says, "Who cares? Please save me!"** _

Gray snorted. "You serious?"

Lucy faced Natsu and angrily asked, "Oi, Natsu! Why didn't you stop that Vulcan from taking me? It would've saved us all the trouble!"

Natsu, who had gotten bored and was busy stuffing himself with food, looked up. "Huh?"

"Ugh! Never mind!"

**Meanwhile, at the top of Mt. Hakobe, Lucy was crying while the Vulcan stupidly danced around her. Suddenly, Horologium, the only thing protecting Lucy, disappeared, saying that he'd hit the time limit. Lucy desperately demanded an extension.**

**Luckily, Natsu arrived.**

**Natsu:** _**Damn monkey! Where is Macao?!** _

**While running on slippery ice, he slipped and skidded.**

**Lucy:** _**How lame! Can't he make a normal entrance?** _

"Hm, afraid not." Erza smiled as she remembered how Natsu had showed up at the Council disguised as her.

**Natsu continued to ask the Vulcan about Macao.**

**Natsu:** _**Macao! He is a human man!** _

**Vulcan:** _**Man?** _

**Natsu:** _**That's right! Where did you hide him?** _

**Lucy:** _**He already claimed that it hid him!** _

**The Vulcan beckoned Natsu.**

**Natsu:** _**He understood!** _

**And when he looked out into the hole in the mountain wall, the Vulcan kicked him out.**

**Natsu:** _**Monkey!** _

"That was obviously a trap, you moron!"

"What's so obvious about that?" Natsu said, his mouth still full but he was scowling at the helpless looks the others were giving him.

**Lucy was worried for Natsu while the Vulcan did another stupid victory dance in the background and finally decided to fight.**

**Lucy:** _**Damn perverted monkey! I will teach you a lesson!** _

Levy cheered.

**Lucy:** _**Open, Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!** _

"Though I don't approve of your chosen Spirit, Lu-chan."

Lucy just laughed awkwardly, feeling more embarrassed when the lacrima showed Taurus to be another pervert.

**Taurus and the Vulcan started to have a fight. However, Taurus suddenly got kicked by….**

**Lucy:** _**Natsu!** _

"What the hell are you doing?!" Warren demanded. That must have sucked, getting interrupted in the midst of a battle.

"What? He's weak anyway," Natsu said, as he bit a large chunk of meat.

"It's not true. Don't say it so casually," Lucy deadpanned.

**After Lucy tried to explain and failed that Taurus was an ally, she asked how Natsu survived. Natsu responded by saying it was all thanks to Happy.**

**Lucy:** _**You can't deal with transportation vehicles, but you're okay with Happy?** _

**Natsu:** _**What are you talking about? Happy isn't a transportation vehicle. He's our nakama, right? Stay back….** _

**Lucy:** _**T-that's right.** _ _**S-sorry.** _

"How evil of you, Lucy," Happy said.

"Shut up!"

**The Vulcan attacked but Natsu dealt the blow with his arm.**

**Natsu:** _**Listen, all Fairy Tail members are my friends. The old man, Mira, those annoying guys, Gray and Elfman. Happy and Lucy, too … all of them are my friends.** _

**Lucy was shocked.**

Mira smiled. "Oh, dear. I think you're glad to hear that Natsu already considered you a friend, Lucy."

"T-that's not it!"

**When icicles fell from the ceiling, the Vulcan threw them at Natsu. And since his magic was fire, it was nothing. That is, until the monkey picked up Taurus's ax.**

**Natsu deftly avoided each swing until he slipped in the ice again. When the ax came, Natsu had no choice but to stop it with his hands.**

**Meanwhile, Lucy was shaking Taurus awake.**

**Lucy:** _**Taurus, go back! If you go back, your ax will disappear too!** _

"Why didn't you use forced closure, Lucy-san?" Wendy asked politely.

"At the time, I didn't know how to. Then after going on many adventures, I finally learned how." Lucy smiled.

**Natsu melted the metal and let the substance fall to his mouth. He then used it as bullets to get away from the Vulcan.**

Everyone knew things were about to end when Natsu shouted his famous "Fire Dragon's Fist." True enough, the Vulcan lost consciousness.

**Lucy:** _**Weren't you gonna ask that monkey where Macao-san is?** _

**Natsu:** _**Ah, I forgot.** _

**All of a sudden, the Vulcan became Macao, shocking the two mages.**

"So lemme get this straight," Wakaba said. "You were Taken Over by the Vulcan?" He puffed his tobacco and continued, "Now I get why the Vulcan was interested in girls."

"Ha?!" Macao grabbed the collar of his friend's shirt as Romeo set aside his embarrassment to stop his father. The poor kid had too much trouble in his hands.

**Happy explained the magic of Take Over to Lucy.**

**Happy:** _**It seems he fought fiercely before he was exposed to "Take Over."** _

**Natsu:** _**Macao! Don't die! Romeo is waiting for you! Open your eyes!** _

**Macao:** _**Natsu?** _

"NATSU! Really! I thank you!" Macao sniffled. "I'm pretty useless in there but really, thanks a lot!"

Natsu laughed. "Don't mention it! Here have some pasta."

"Man, fighting nineteen Vulcans." Max whistled. "But then, I just saw Erza defeat one hundred monsters so that's pretty lame, Macao."

"Don't compare an old man like me to the monster generation!"

**Lucy was admiring the Fairy Tail members' power, thinking she was out of their league.**

Erza frowned and stared at Lucy. Lucy's eyes were still on the lacrima and she had the same expression as her lacrima self. Yet Lucy's eyes hardened in resolve and Erza could see her determination, making her smile. Yes, Lucy had come a long way. She wasn't the Lucy she knew from the beginning. She'd become stronger.

**Romeo was sitting, crying, and thinking of the kids who bullied Fairy Tail. It also showed how he convinced his father to do a job to prove them wrong.**

"You're feeling guilty, Romeo-kun," Mira said seriously. It wasn't a question. "Take it easy. Talk to us if there's something bothering you next time."

Romeo smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Mira-san."

**Natsu:** _**Romeo!** _

**Romeo looked up and was greatly surprised to see his father with Natsu, Lucy, and Happy. Then, he launched himself to his dad.**

**Romeo:** _**Dad!** _

"You're so cute, Romeo!" Lisanna smiled. Romeo merely blushed.

**Romeo: Dad, I'm really sorry!**

"Ah!" Romeo noticed the big lump on his father's head. "Did I do that?"

"Who else?"

**Macao:** _**If those damn brats make fun of you again, tell them this: Can your dads defeat nineteen monsters?** _

**Romeo grinned then he called out.**

**Romeo:** _**Natsu-nii! Happy! Thank you!** _

**Natsu:** _**Yeah!** _

**Happy:** _**Aye!** _

**Romeo:** _**And Lucy-nee! Thank you, too!** _

**Lucy merely waved and narrated.**

**Lucy:** _**On the fourth of July, I experienced sun, a snow storm, and sun again all in one day. Fairy Tail is a crazy and outrageous guild, but it is also fun, warm, and kind. I am still a novice mage but I love this guild!** _

Erza wiped tears from her eyes. "That was beautiful, Lucy. If I ever get married, you have to speak in front of my guests with your heartwarming words."

"Eh?! Marriage?! Erza?!"

"Who would want to marry her?"

"Hoh, what was that, Happy?"

"You look really pathetic, Macao. What a shame on our generation!"

"At least I got a story! What about you, Wakaba?"

"Eh?!"

"All right, brats! I know you have mixed feelings now. But let's just watch this all first! Lucy! Next!"

"I'm not a servant, Master."

We would see if they could still keep this lightheartedness in the next episodes.


	4. Episodes 3 & 4, Daybreak Arc

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Initially posted on ff.net
> 
> For randompeeps who unintentionally commented a manga spoiler lol (for me anyways). Just kidding. If it weren't for your comments, guys, I wouldn't have remembered that I had one chapter left to post here from ffnet. So thanks a lot! Your comments make me all fuzzy and warm. 
> 
> Btw, I remember this being the hardest chapter I've ever written (still is). And it happened on my birthday. Wow, the things I do for my fandoms.

At the Celestial Spirit mage's commands, the start of the next episode started.

"Man, I'm hungry," Natsu whined.

"You just ate five minutes ago, Natsu," Happy reminded.

"I'm still hungry."

**The first scene was Lucy waking up in her room accompanied by her narration of Magnolia and her apartment.**

**Lucy:** _**I'm a mage, Lucy. And this is Magnolia, a commercial city in which magic has flourished since the ancient era. If the Kardia Cathedral in the middle of the city, that is towering over the surroundings, was gone, you'd be able to see the only mage guild in this town, Fairy Tail. And that's the house I decided to live in.** _

"Again, this is like a documentary or something with Lucy as the narrator now. Hey, Lucy, are you sure you didn't make this and sent it to the guild?" Kana slurred.

Lucy puffed her cheeks. "I did not!"

**Lucy:** _**I found a nice place. For seventy thousand jewels, it's very spacious and has plenty of storage place.** _

Lucy, who had gasped at the scene of her in the bathtub, glared at the appreciative looks from some men from the guild. "Hey, guys! Have some respect, will you?"

Lucy's words fell on deaf ears. However, when the part where Natsu showed up, the guys started complaining.

"Natsu, you lucky bastard! You're saw Lucy-chan in a towel!"

"Yeah! Why are suddenly in there, after all?"

Lucy fumed at the comments, especially when Natsu just had a bored expression like the things on the lacrima happened on a daily basis. Which was, in fact, true, as the fire mage developed a habit of breaking in Lucy's apartment from time to time. She turned to Master to complain only to slap a hand to her forehead when she saw that the Master was part of the Appreciating Lucy's Beauty group.

**Natsu and Happy admired Lucy's new house which only got in the blonde's nerves. She told Happy off for scratching his nails on her wall. And when Natsu picked up a wad of paper, she panicked and kicked him.**

**Natsu:** _**Now you** _ **really** _**got me curious. What's that?** _

**Lucy:** _**It doesn't concern you!** _

Wendy turned to Lucy. "What was that, Lucy-san?" she asked innocently.

"Um," Lucy hesitated but she figured they would found out sooner or later so she better tell. Plus, Levy had already seen her work so her phobia of letting people read her novels had somehow worn off. "It was a novel I was writing."

"Lu-chan is a great writer!" Levy inserted, grinning at her friend. Lucy appreciated her support.

"Wow, you're amazing, Lucy-san!"

Lucy gave Wendy a one-armed hug and smiled. "Thank you, Wendy!"

**The title was Infiltrate! The Everlue Mansion!**

Lucy's good mood vanished when she read the title and gave a shudder. "Ew, Everlue. I'll see that jerk again?"

**Lucy:** _**I just moved in. I have nothing to amuse you with so go home after drinking your tea, okay?** _

**Natsu:** _**What a cruel person.** _

**Happy:** _**Aye.** _

"You have no right to say that," Lucy muttered. Hearing what she said, Erza and Levy nodded. Lucy sweat-dropped, thinking that Erza had no right to agree with what she said, too. Yet she kept her mouth shut. She liked her head where it was, thank you.

**Natsu:** _**Show me all of those key guys that you have, Lucy.** _

**Lucy:** _**They aren't "key guys." They are Celestial Spirits.** _

"They're just the same, right, Happy?" Natsu asked.

"Aye, sir!"

Lucy spoke up in a too innocent voice, "If Plue hears you say that, he won't play with you anymore."

Happy went silent for a few seconds before saying, "It's not the same, Natsu," he said seriously.

"Oi, Happy! Don't fall for Lucy's tricks!"

**Happy:** _**How many Celestial spirits have you contracted, Lucy?** _

**Lucy:** _**Six units. Celestial spirits are counted in units. These silver keys are sold in stores. The Clock, Horologium. The Southern Cross, Crux. The Lyre, Lyra. These golden ones are extremely rare keys that open the Twelve Gates of the Zodiac. The Golden Bull, Taurus. The Water Bearer, Aquarius. The Giant Crab, Cancer.** _

Natsu had the same reaction as his self on the lacrima. "Crab! I wanna eat crabs! Oi, Lucy, can you summon that crab guy so I can eat him?"

Others like Lisanna were marveling at the things they learned about Celestial Spirit. "So they're called units, huh?" Lisanna mused.

Lucy smiled at her. "Yes. That's what my mother told me." Then she threw Natsu an angry look. "You will _not_ eat Cancer!"

**Lucy:** _**Come to think of it, I have yet to form a contract with the key I bought at Hargeon. Perfect timing. I'll show you how Celestial Spirits mages and Celestial Spirits form contracts.** _

Wendy couldn't keep her gasp of surprise and amazement. "Celestial Contracts? I've never seen someone, not even you, Lucy-san, do it. I'm so excited!"

Erza smiled. "The feeling is mutual, Wendy."

"Do you use runes? Oh, wait, nevermind!" Levy gushed.

Lucy couldn't bring herself to contradict whatever creative ideas had formed in her friends' minds. She glared at Happy, who was holding back laughter, from the corner of her eyes.

The three girls straightened in their seats when lacrima Lucy pulled out her key.

**Lucy:** _**I'm the one who connects the paths to the Celestial Spirit world.** _ ***closes eyes and places hand on her chest*** _**Thou shalt answer my call and traverse the gate.** _

"Is this contract-making supposed to be this dramatic?" Carla said with a raised eyebrow. Lucy deadpanned.

**Light came out from the floor as Lucy did her thing with her key again.**

**Lucy:** _**Open! Gate of the Canis Minor! Nikora!** _

**When the light evened out, a small, shaking, snowman-like creature appeared.**

"Oh, isn't that your pet?" Macao asked behind a tankard. "What is it anyway?"

Lucy blinked. "Plue's a Canis Minor, so he's a dog."

"Heh, weird dog."

"Didn't I say so, Macao!"

"Shut up, Natsu, Happy!"

**As Lucy explained to the two why Nikora was a popular Spirit pet, Natsu and Happy converged, once more hellbent on irritating Lucy with their whispers.**

**Lucy:** _**Then let's move on to the contract.** _

Wendy, Erza, and Levy's smiles widened.

**Lucy:** _**How about Monday?** _

**Plue shook his head. Lucy wrote down her notepad.**

**Lucy:** _**Tuesday?** _

**Plue nodded, and Lucy wrote it down once more.**

The three girls turned to Lucy and merely said, "For real?" Well, in Wendy's case, it was "Is that it, Lucy-san?"

"Well, at least it's not a blood contract like some idiot suggested." Carla smirked as Happy wailed and buried his face in Natsu's chest.

**Lucy:** _**Celestial Spirit mages form contracts, which mean we value our promises. That's why I can never break a promise.** _

Almost everyone's eyes in the guild glinted mischievously at that statement.

Lucy gulped. "H-hey, you can't be serious!"

**Lucy decided to name her Nikora Plue. And when Natsu began talking with Plue….**

"They communicated!" Members of Fairy Tail who were present all shared the same look with lacrima Lucy. All except the young man in question who had his head thrown back in his chair, snoring.

"Wake up, you idiot!"

"Ow! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

**Natsu:** _**Okay, I've decided. Let's form a team!** _

"My, my," Mirajane started, getting the attention of the still shocked members from the Natsu-Plue-connection and getting their minds off the possibility that the fire boy was more animalistic than they thought. "Is this the birth of Team Natsu?"

"Team Natsu? Where did you come up with that name, Mira?" Lucy asked, aghast.

Natsu, who was snoring just a second ago, jumped up and exclaimed, "Ooh, Team Natsu sounds great!"

"I'm not taking part into something named after a moron," Gray said, and Gajeel laughed at that.

"Who said you're part of the group, huh, ice bastard?"

"Ice Make Lance!"

"Gray, stop using magic in the guild!" Alzack exclaimed as he had gotten Asuka out of the ice shards' way.

**After Happy explained to a confused Lucy the mechanics of building teams, the blonde agreed happily, doing a weird handshake with the pink-haired boy.**

**Natsu:** _**Let's go do a job! See, I've already picked one!** _

**Lucy:** _**You are such a hasty guy!** _

**Unknown to Lucy, Natsu's eyes gleamed evilly.**

"I should've known!" Lucy cried out. "I should've known from that moment the trouble he would get me in!"

"Hehe, but didn't you meet that maid Spirit from this mission?" Natsu grinned innocently.

"T-that's beside the point!"

"Oh, my! Is this a lover's quarrel?"

"Mira!"

**Lucy read the poster and became horrified when she got to the blond maid hiring part.**

**Lucy:** _**You planned this from the start! I've been duped!** _

"You poor thing," Erza remarked softly. "Let me hug you!"

"N-no, Erza, n—ow!"

"Still, that's dirty, Natsu," Lisanna chastised her childhood friend. "You can't do that to Lucy, or to anyone."

The fire mage grinned. "What? It ended well!"

When the scene changed back to the guild and, more specifically, to Levy, Gajeel straightened in his seat. Mira noted this with an evil eye glint of her own that could rival Natsu's.

**Makarov informed Levy that it would be for her own good that she didn't take the job. When Mira asked if it was cancelled, he said no and, with suspicion and disbelief in his tone, continued that the reward was raised to two million jewels.**

"Hm, I still wonder about the full details as to why the client did such a thing. You never explained it to me, Natsu, Lucy," Makarov reprimanded.

"Ah, well, this lacrima will soon—"

"When did I explain anything to you, Jii-chan?" Natsu asked, thoroughly confused.

That made Makarov think, and he sighed. "You're right, brat? When have you ever?"

**The scene showed Natsu, Lucy, and Happy in another carriage pulled by a giant violet wild pig. Lucy was mocking Natsu as the latter suffered from motion sickness, and asked out of the blue why he picked her to join him.**

**Natsu:** _**You're a good person.** _

**This flattered Lucy.**

Lucy heard a high-pitched giggle and turned slowly, dread overwhelming her, as she met the knowing look of Mirajane. "Don't assume, Mira!"

**Lucy swore to do her best on her first job. When Happy asked about the sudden mood change, she answered that she only disliked the perverted old man but was quite confident in her sex appeal.**

The screen showed Lucy in various apparel that suited her, making most men in the room drool and some women stare with jealousy.

"L-Lucy-chan, that two piece looks good on you!" Wakaba stuttered, his pipe emitting heart-shape smoke.

"Ne, Lucy, what should I do to get boobs as big as yours?" Laki pouted.

Wendy squeaked as she crossed her arms over her chest, staring down at her flat front. She wanted to ask that question too but felt shy.

"N-NO COMMENT!" Lucy said, blushing, yet felt angry at the same time. She swore that when she found out who made or sent the lacrima, he or she would die a painful death.

**The trio soon arrived at Shirotsume town with Natsu complaining about transportation and his hungry stomach.**

**Lucy:** _**Why don't you eat your own fire?** _

**Natsu:** _**What a cruel person?** _

"Am I?" Lucy muttered sarcastically. She saw Gajeel staring at her with disbelieving eyes and felt Wendy fidget beside her. "What?"

"You think I can eat my own iron? I don't believe I'm saying this but I agree with Salamder. You're cruel…." Gajeel trailed off.

"Um, Lucy-san, I don't think you're cruel but I can't eat my own air. Just so you know," Lucy said hesitantly.

"Why are you dragon slayers doing this to me?" Lucy felt cold. "And, Wendy, how do you even know if the air is yours or not?"

"Um…."

**When Lucy reappeared, she was in a maid outfit.**

"Stop being perverts, you guys!" Lucy screeched. "Don't encourage them, Master!"

**They soon arrived at the client's house. The client was named Kaby Melon, making Happy and Natsu think about food. Kaby Melon informed them about the mission which was to tear up or burn the book called Daybreak owned by the Duke of Everlue.**

**Natsu suggested they burn down the whole mansion and Lucy discouraged the act of arson. When Lucy asked for the mission's reason, they found out that the reward had been raised to two million, making them sputter.**

The guild merely laughed at Natsu and Happy's math and logic.

However after the overjoyed trio had rushed out of the mansion and the screen showed Kaby Melon ominously expressing his hate for the book, they felt like something was off.

Levy turned to give Lucy a worried glance only to find the blonde calmly watching the lacrima with a small smile, as if enjoying the trip presented to her and the guild down memory lane. "You're not worried, Lu-chan? I know you fought the duke and all but wasn't it a bad experience?"

Lucy beamed. "Nope! Not at all!" Reassured, Levy faced the lacrima once more.

**Standing in front of the Everlue mansion with her maid outfit, Lucy shouted that she wanted to apply, thinking excitedly about the money that awaited her.**

**The ground behind her cracked and gave away. A huge figure appeared, soaring up in the air before landing with a loud thump.**

"W-who is that?" Warren asked with an unreadable and slightly appalled face. "Don't tell me…."

"Virgo!" Lucy said happily, staring at the former look of her Spirit with amusement.

"You called, Princess?" the real Virgo appeared, slim and beautiful, making a striking contrast with the figure on the screen.

"EEEEHHHH?! THAT'S YOU?!" almost everyone exclaimed with the exception of Lucy, Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Erza.

"Yes. Would you like me to transform?"

"N-NOOOO! PLEASE! Just stay that way!"

**Everlue also appeared from the ground when Virgo called for him.**

**Everlue:** _**Let's see.** _

**Lucy:** _**Nice to meet you!** _ ***talks in her mind*** _**He's giving me goose bumps! I have to endure it!** _

**Everlue:** _**No, thank you. Go home, ugly.** _

There was a moment of silence before the guild was filled with complaints.

"Is he insane? How can he call Lucy ugly?"

"Lucy's such a cutie! How could you, mustache face!"

"This guy's sense of beauty is fu—oh well, nevermind. We all have different tastes."

"Lucy, my sweet princess Lucy, let me kiss you in the hope of erasing that vile man's words from your memory."

"Lucy-neesan! Pretty!" Asuka joined in, too.

Lucy's heart melted at her guildmates' support, even though some of them were inappropriate. _Thank you, everyone!_ she thought happily.

**Lucy cried and Natsu and Happy said she was pretty useless.**

**Natsu:** _**Since it came down to this, we'll use Plan T.** _

**Lucy:** _**I'll never forgive that old fart! But what is Plan T?** _

**Happy:** _**It stands for "Take them head on."** _

**Lucy:** _**What part of it is a plan?** _

**Not far from them, hanging near a tree branch was a crystal ball with a wolf lying on top of it. It was a surveillance camera, and Everlue, along with two unknown figures, noted how it was Fairy Tail that arrived this time.**

Natsu's head shot up from his sleeping position, and it was obvious how he wasn't really sleeping and just listening. "Oh, so that's how the bastards watched us."

"How did you know?" Lucy asked.

"Those two were bragging when I fought them. They're weaklings, though!"

**The trio got into the mansion through the attic after Natsu made a hole in the glass window. Natsu complained about their sneaking in plan and Lucy explained how irrational it would be.**

"Thank goodness someone's using their brains. Again, I am glad you teamed up with Natsu, Lucy," Master remarked.

**They searched room after room with Natsu still whining about sneaking in. Lucy bribed him with the idea of moving like a ninja, though. Soon, the maids of Everlue appeared from the ground.**

**Happy scared them with the skull mask he had on and Natsu kicked their asses. Virgo sent Natsu flat on the ground with her Flying Virgo Attack.**

"I kinda miss that look of yours, Virgo," Leo said unconsciously.

"Me too, nii-san," Virgo replied in the same bored tone.

"Are you two serious?" Lucy exclaimed in shock. "And why are you still here, Virgo?! Go back!"

"Yes, Princess. I will go back once your husband is done fighting me." Virgo smiled innocently, reminding Lucy of how she had teased her during the fight with the dragons.

Like a boiling kettle, Lucy's face turned a shade of red and one could almost see steam coming off her ears. "GO BACK NOW, VIRGO!"

"As you wish, Princess." Virgo bowed with one of her shackled hands placed on her chest in a polite manner. Still, Lucy could see her looking smug.

"Heh, what's with the stupid ninja impersonation, Natsu?" Leo snorted, ignoring Lucy and Virgo's conversation.

"What? It's so cool!"

**Lucy and Natsu opened the door and found the library. They began searching for Daybreak, and the fire mage found it accidentally while fooling around. When he was about to burn it, Lucy stopped him when she recognized it was a book she hadn't read from an author she admired. This made her want to protect the book.**

Cana hiccupped. "Oi, Lucy, you're abandoning your job."

"I did abandon it, but with a reason!" she said proudly. Once her guildmates heard the whole story they'd understand.

"Yeah, but you still—hiccup—abandoned it."

"Cana, stop drinking already!"

**Everlue appeared once again from the ground, making Happy question the kind of floors in the mansion.**

**Everlue:** _**I was wondering what these mages were looking for. So it was that worthless book.** _

**Natsu:** _**Worthless?** _

**Lucy: *talks in her mind*** _**The client will pay us two million to destroy this book and yet the owner, Everlue, calls it worthless….** _

**The Celestial Spirit mage happily asked if she could have it, and Everlue vehemently refused with an insult. Natsu demanded they burn it then, but Lucy still refused. She finally acquiesced but only after she was finished reading it, plopping down on the floor.**

"Wow, all that trouble for one book?" Gajeel asked.

"Books are very useful and powerful! They hold so much information waiting to be read and can also be your best friend!" Levy defended with a smile.

The iron dragon slayer merely grunted.

**The duke called out the Vanish Brothers and two figures emerged from the moving bookcases.**

**Happy:** _**That crest. They are from a mercenary guild, the Southern Wolves!** _

"Mercenary guild?" Gray snorted. "You'd better not got your ass kicked by these losers, shitty flame."

Natsu scoffed as he focused more on the lacrima, interested in the action because, hell, he forgot almost everything about this. "Sure I did!"

**Lucy:** _**Natsu, buy me some time. I think there's some secret to this book.** _

**Everlue: *talks in his mind*** _**Secret? I never knew that when I read it! Maybe there's some hidden treasure map?** _ ***talks to the Southern Wolves*** _**I'll go after the girl. Eliminate the brat.** _

**Natsu instructed Happy to assist Lucy, but the winged cat insisted on staying with him. The fire dragon slayer said with confidence that he could take care of the two enemies on his own.**

"That's so cool, Natsu-nii!" Romeo yelled excitedly.

"Tch, I'd be embarrassed if he couldn't handle ten more of those." Gajeel snorted.

"Whatcha saying, you crappy singer?"

"C-crappy singer?! For your information, I have a perfect pitch! Right, shrimp?"

"Eh? Why me?"

**The Southern Wolves explained that they saw from their surveillance that Natsu was a fire mage, a Caster Type. The narrator explained the two types of magic. Caster Type, which was someone like Natsu, and Holder Type was someone like Lucy.**

**Natsu cast his flames around his fists and threw the first punch. However, it had no effect as his fire appeared to be sucked into a giant pan.**

**Vanish Brother 1:** _**Sorry to say this, but we are especially skilled against fire wizards.** _

"What did he do?" Max asked, shocked.

"Eh, I don't remember," Natsu said in a bored tone. "Why don't you just watch and see?"

"Gee, thanks."

**Avoiding the other brother's attack sent Natsu flying out of the library and onto the Everlue's giant statue.**

**Vanish Brother 2:** _**You might be from Fairy Tail, but you're still a mage. You're no match for professional fighters like us mercenaries.** _

"Jerks," Elfman muttered.

**Natsu:** _**Is that all you got?** _

**The brothers got ticked off at his remark and asked him if he asked what a mage's weakness was.**

"What weakness?" Wendy asked with wide eyes.

Lucy, Levy, and Erza shrugged, also totally clueless.

**Natsu:** _**You mean transportation?** _

Everyone snorted.

"What? He was asking about weakness!"

**Vanish Brother 1:** _**Their weakness is their bodies. To train oneself in magic takes discipline and mental focus! And as a result you end up lacking the training of your body. In other words, against people like us who train our bodies daily, you can't match up in power and speed.** _

There was silence again before laughter burst out in the hall, shaking the building to its very core.

"A-are they serious?!" Warren gasped out.

"They're mental!" Max snickered.

"I get that some of us lack body training. I mean, look at Droy!"

"That's not funny, Jet!"

Master laughed loudly. "Such fools! Oh, what is with this world?"

**Natsu was not fazed and mocked his opponents even more. The brothers did a combination attack. But before they could perform it, the scene shifted to Lucy who was reading in the sewers with wind-reader glasses.**

"Hey, what the hell? I wanna see the fight!" Natsu demanded.

"Well, we're not exactly in control of this lacrima, and you're the last person to say that since it was your fight, Natsu," Erza stated calmly.

**Lucy:** _**I can't believe this book contains such a secret.** _

**Suddenly, the metal walls broke and hands reached out to restrain Lucy.**

**Everlue:** _**What did you find? Tell me the secret of my book.** _

**Lucy:** _**You're the lowest of the low. You're an enemy of literature!** _

**The scene shifted back to Natsu's fight. The first brother jumped off the second brother's pan. The one on the ground hit Natsu with the pan when the mage was distracted. And after the young boy's attention was diverted once more, the brother who flew off and kicked him to the ground. It was their Heaven and Earth Extinct Slaying Attack, which no one had survived from before. Until Natsu, that is.**

**Vanish Brothers:** _**No way!** _

Natsu snorted. "No wonder I don't remember this. They're lame."

**Natsu:** _**I will blow you away with this. Fire Dragon's Roar!** _

**The Vanish brother with the pan held out his instrument and the flame was once more sucked into it. Then he threw the flame back to Natsu.**

**Vanish Brother 2:** _**It's a Fairy barbecue.** _

Everyone in the guild was grinning. And just like the norm, Natsu ate the flames which terrified the two enemies and made Fairy Tail erupt into laughter again.

**Natsu prepare for his last move and true enough, his enemies were down for the count with a simple Fire Dragon's Wing Attack and overdoing it in the process.**

"Ack! I just witnessed you demolished a private property, Natsu!" Master screeched, pulling at his hair.

Natsu barked out a laugh. "It's all in the past now, Jii-chan. Mwahahaha!"

The ending music started and Lucy called out "next" at once yet awkwardly. She still hadn't gotten over the lacrima's voice command.

The usual introduction repeated and everybody asked Lucy to skip it again. It resumed playing to the part where they had ended.

**Vanish Brother 2:** _**What kind of wizard is he?** _

**Natsu:** _**Guess I should go find Lucy. Who're these guys anyways?** _ ***walks away***

**Vanish Brothers:** _**We're mercenaries.** _

"No wonder I didn't remember them," Natsu said unconsciously, scratching his head.

"Hey, is it just me or Virgo-san's eyes just gleamed?" Juvia said quietly.

"It did gleam. I think," came the bored voice of Virgo beside her. When Juvia's eyes widened, she put a finger over her own mouth with a smile. "The Princess's magic power is great enough for her to not notice me staying here. I want to watch."

Juvia smiled. "Sure!" she whispered back.

"Oh, Aquarius says hi. Let's be friends, too. I ship Princess with Natsu-san, so rest assured." They both giggled.

**Lucy was still restrained by the hands and stubbornly not giving up at all. She fell to her knees as the hold on her arms tightened and Everlue continued to press her for answers.**

**Luckily, Happy arrived and kicked Everlue in the side of his face.**

"Thanks for kicking that mustache face for us, Happy! I was getting pissed at him." Max grinned.

"Hehe, no problem! I look cool, didn't I, Charle?" Happy asked the white Exceed shyly.

"Hm! Falling in the sewage counts as cool in your book?"

"Waah! I got rejected again! Wah!"

**The episode's title was Dear Kaby.**

**Once freed, Lucy pulled out a golden key confidently. Everlue remained smug as he lectured Lucy about improper use of language and commented how her magic was no match to his Diver magic.**

**Everlue was popping up everywhere with his magic but Lucy was quick on her feet and evaded every attack.**

"That was amazing, Lucy," Erza commented.

"Thanks!"

**Lucy:** _**It was written in this book. A horrible adventure story with you as the main character, Everlue!** _

**Everlue:** _**It's wonderful that I'm the main character. But the story is crap! For Kemu Zaleon, of all people, to write such rubbish! It's a disgrace!** _

**Lucy:** _**You forced him to write it. How conceited can you get?** _

Levy gasped. "I knew it! What an evil man! It's a writer's worst nightmare; being forced to write against his will. Writing is the only freedom every writer has and for that freedom to be taken from him?" Her hands turned to fists as she glared at the smug duke on the lacrima. "I'll never forgive Everlue!"

"It's okay, Levy. I feel the same way. But he's in prison now, so you don't have to worry about him." Lucy wrapped an arm around her friend's small shoulders.

**Everlue thought that it should be an honor for Kemu Zaleon to write about him and shrugged off the fact that he blackmailed the writer into his selfish whims.**

Erza's eyes darkened when she learned that the writer had been imprisoned for three years as he wrote for the duke. She knew from first-hand experience what a terrible experience being in prison could be. "I've decided," she started coldly. "I'll hunt this man down and make him suffer for all the pain this Zaleon person has experienced."

"What? No, Erza!" Lucy exclaimed. "Didn't you hear what I said? He's in prison already for all the bad things he did. There's no reason for you hunting him down."

"Well, one punch would make me feel better. Hmm, anyone wants to fight?"

"N-no, thank you!" Almost everyone backed off at the murderous aura surrounding the red-haired swordswoman.

**Everlue demanded how Lucy knew the things she revealed. She held up Daybreak.**

**Lucy:** _**It's all written in this book!** _

**Everlue:** _**Huh? I've read that book too. Kemu Zaleon never appeared in it.** _

**Lucy:** _**It's true that if you read it normally, it'd make any fan cry. But you should know that Kemu Zaleon was originally a mage.** _

**Everlue:** _**Don't tell me….** _

**Lucy:** _**He used up all his remaining strength and cast a spell on this book.** _

Master closed his eyes. "What a remarkable man. To use magic as his last resolve." He shook his head.

**The duke got angry at the thought that the book was about defaming him, but Lucy said he was wrong. The true secret was more than trash like that.**

**Lucy:** _**That's why I'm never going to let you have this book. You don't even have a right to it in the first place! Open! Gate of the Giant Crab! Cancer!** _

**Cancer's flashy entrance started with his scissors. Happy danced around excitedly and asked that Cancer end his sentences with kani (crab).**

**Cancer:** _**Lucy, how would you like your hair done today… ebi (shrimp).** _

**Happy:** _**Ebi?!** _

"Really, a crab hairdresser? That isn't manly!" Elfman said.

"Ne, I want crabs. Can you call out Cancer, Lucy?" Happy whined.

"I told you! YOU WILL NOT BE EATING CANCER!"

**Everlue panicked that the book might have information about his illegal dealings and pulled out a familiar key.**

**Everlue:** _**Open! Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!** _

"VIRGO?! He's a Celestial Spirit mage, too?" some members exclaimed.

"Yes?" Virgo asked politely from her spot next to Juvia.

"Wha-why are you—okay, nevermind." Lucy shook her head. "And didn't you realize that after Virgo appeared earlier?"

**Virgo appeared and was ordered to get the book. Lucy was shocked that the large maid was a Spirit and then she noticed that someone was clinging to Virgo.**

**Lucy and Happy:** _**Natsu?!** _

**Everlue:** _**Why is he with Virgo?** _

**Lucy:** _**How'd you—** _

**Natsu:** _**When she started moving, I grabbed onto her and I don't have a clue!** _

**Lucy:** _**What? He couldn't have come through the Spirit world with her, right? That's unbelievable!** _

"Why, Lucy-san? We managed just fine before," Wendy asked.

"Yeah, I know. It's supposed to be _really_ impossible for a human to get into the Spirit world. Our case was special since Mustache wanted to party," Lucy mused.

"Princess, it's rude to call the Celestial Spirit King as Mustache."

"What are you talking about? Have you been into the Spirit world?" Master asked in wonder.

"Yes, Master. Lucy's friends invited us for a party when we were training for the Grand Magic Games." Erza smiled.

"Cool!"

"Amazing!"

"Wish I could've joined you!"

**Natsu took care of Virgo while Lucy used her whip to capture Everlue and stop him from digging and disappearing. She threw him in the air and Cancer gave Everlue a haircut.**

"That was nice!" Natsu said. "But I still can't over the ebi! It should be kani!

"Right? Right?" Happy urged.

"Oh, shut up, you two," Lucy deadpanned.

**Everlue's mansion collapsed, leaving Lucy horrified and Natsu satisfied.**

**Natsu:** _**Nice and flashy, Lucy! You made us Fairy Tail wizards proud!** _

**Happy:** _**Aye! But we ended up destroying again!** _

**Lucy:** _**Is this my fault?** _

"It's not!" Lucy cried out, already all-too-familiar with her teammate's destructive power.

Master sighed as he drank more alcohol. "So at the beginning, even with Lucy, Natsu is still a troublesome hurricane, eh?"

Mira giggled. "It's Natsu and Lucy's hurricane of love."

"What?! Mira! And it's not yet finished. Look!"

**Back to their client's house, Lucy was explaining about the book to Kaby Melon. Lucy handed Kaby Melon the book and said he could burn it if he wanted. Kaby's hands were shaking in silent anger.**

**Lucy:** _**I know why you don't want this book to exist in this world. It's to protect your father's honor. You're a son of Kemu Zaleon, aren't you?** _

"What?" Levy gasped. The knowing blonde merely smiled.

**When Lucy asked if he had read it, he said no, having been unable to bring himself to read the trash, as his father had called it. Natsu became angry when Kaby said that the mere reason he wanted the book destroyed was because it was bad.**

**Natsu:** _**Your dad wrote that book!** _

Natsu looked away as he saw his lacrima self get riled up.

**Kaby admitted that he was ashamed of Daybreak. A flashback from thirty one years ago was shown where Kemu arrived back home to his family and proceeded to cut his arm.**

"Ouch!" Levy winced. "That ought to hurt."

"Indeed," Erza agreed and remembered the time where she had contemplated cutting her own. Were they going to see that, too?

**On the hospital bed, Kaby scolded his father for taking Everlue's job and Kemu lied about the reason he accepted. Kemu was calm, smiling even, as he told his son how he was always thinking of him. The son was still infuriated with his father and said some painful words. Kemu only smiled.**

Lucy didn't realize she was in Erza and Levy's arms. She was surprised but thanked her friends for understanding. After all, her father's death was still a difficult topic for her.

**Kaby told them how his father died, how he had hated him ever since, and how the hate turned into regret. He wanted to destroy Daybreak, Kemu's most hated book, for his father's sake.**

Natsu, along with Gajeel and Wendy, all looked down at their hands in silence as thoughts of their missing parents filled their minds.

**Lucy stopped Kaby from burning Daybreak and suddenly, the book shimmered. The Celestial Spirit mage was quick to explain.**

**Lucy:** _**Kamu Zaleon. His real name was Zekua Melon! He cast a spell on this book.** _

**The letters of the title, Daybreak, rearranged by magic and became Dear Kaby.**

**Kaby:** _**Dear Kaby?** _

**Lucy:** _**That's right. It's written to his beloved son, Kaby. He cast a spell that rearranged the letters on the entire thing!** _

Levy's eyes widened and watered as the magic unfurled before her. "This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!"

Macao and Wakaba smiled, and the former ruffled Romeo's hair affectionately. Romeo grinned at him.

**Lucy:** _**The reason he quit being a writer is probably not because he wrote the most terrible book ever, but because he wrote the most incredible one! This incredible book is a letter to you, Kaby-san! That's the true book that Kemu Zaleon left to you!** _

**Kaby:** _**Thank you, father.** _

"That was so inspiring, Lucy-san." Wendy smiled.

**Natsu:** _**Guess we don't need that reward then!** _

**He explained that they didn't do the mission at all so a payment was unnecessary. Lucy didn't want to let the money go since Kaby was insisting on paying them, making Happy call her greedy.**

"What happened to your speech, Lucy?" Max smirked.

"Sh-shut up! I'm broke you know!"

"You're always broke."

"S-so?"

**Natsu:** _**Let's go home! You, too, Melon. Go back to your real home!** _

"How did Natsu—" Levy started.

"His nose! He said they smelled different," Lucy muttered, remembering him say that.

"Oh," Erza said, "so his instincts got the best of him, huh?"

**While walking home, Natsu reasoned with Lucy how accepting the money would taint the guild's name. She dejectedly accepted, noting how the couple was actually poor in the first place.**

**Lucy asked over their dinner of roasted fish how Natsu was able to tell that they did not live in the house, and the fire mage responded that they smelled different.**

"See?" Lucy smiled.

"You're really like a dog, Salamander." Gajeel snickered.

"Shut up!"

**Natsu called up Lucy's writing then, making her embarrassed. In the morning, they were walking in the forest, slightly lost, and Lucy was inside Horologium again.**

**When something glinted in the bushes, Natsu jumped into the bushes, and Lucy was left horrified.**

**Natsu emerged, glaring at.…**

"Gray?!"

"Huh?" the man in questioned scratched his head. "Did I really follow you on that mission?"

"I don't remember much, but I think you didn't," Lucy mused.

She yelped when Juvia appeared behind her with wide, hateful eyes. "What did you ask about Gray-sama's underwear, love rival?"

"How many times do I have to tell you? I am not your love rival! And didn't I say I don't remember this happening?!"

"Hoh, you two are fighting, hm." Erza cracked her knuckles.

"There goes the murderous aura again." Lucy sighed.

**The group rested on a ravine with Happy fishing.**

**Natsu:** _**Go back on your own already.** _

**Gray:** _**Of course. It'll be trouble if I don't get back soon.** _

**Lucy:** _**What kind of trouble?** _

**Gray:** _**Erza'll be back shortly.** _

Gray, who had been drinking water, spit out what was in his mouth as he watched the lacrima in horror. They never showed Erza their real reactions. Well, until this moment.

**Natsu froze with a weird face and Lucy started at the familiar name. Happy explained that Erza was known as the most powerful wizard in Fairy Tail.**

"What? Wait till Gildarts hears about that." Nab chuckled and the laughter died in his throat when he met Erza's deadly stare.

**Lucy:** _**Awesome! I wanna meet her! I've never seen her in a magazine. What's she like?** _

Erza was touched at Lucy's reaction before they even met and hugged the blonde again.

"Erza! Ow!"

**Natsu and Gray:** _**Scary** _

**Gray:** _**Wild animal.** _

**Natsu:** _**Beast.** _

**Happy:** _**More like an evil demon!** _

Erza, whose eyes darkened as she heard the insults, pulled away from the embrace when she saw the image Lucy had in mind from those descriptions. "Gray, Natsu, Happy."

The three who were trying their best to leave their seats discreetly squeaked out, "Aye?"

"I want a word," she said deeply, menacingly, and she had dragged all three out of the building, cries and protests ringing out as the door shut. Everyone gulped.

"That's Erza for you." Master chuckled.

**As the three were preparing to go home, someone casted a spell and made the ravine explode.**

"What happened?" Lisanna asked worriedly.

"I don't know," Lucy answered truthfully.

**Lucy, Natsu, and Gray were all right, but Happy was captured by mages and tied to a stick to be roasted.**

"It's a good thing Happy isn't here. He might not like the idea of being someone else's food," Lily said slowly.

"And what's with his deal about tasting weird if he didn't pee? Goodness!" Charle shook her head.

**The trio arrived just in time before Happy was barbequed. Natsu and Gray easily dodged and attacked. One of the enemies used sand magic.**

"Hey, we have the same magic! I wonder who that guy is," Max wondered out loud.

**Gray took down the large chicken enemy as Lucy and Happy escaped. His next opponent was a fortune teller who warned him about an unexpected visitor, and water and women.**

As expected, Juvia's eyes sparkled. "Is that me? Does this mean Gray-sama and I are destined to be together? Kya~"

**Lucy:** _**He's not even using magic? Amazing. Ugh, Gray, your clothes.** _

"Loooove riiivaaalll~ Whaaat are yooouu dooiing too Graaaay-saaamaa~"

"You're starting to scare me, Juvia."

**Natsu escaped from the wall of sand and used Fire Dragon's Iron Fist successfully. The enemies were soon tied to a tree, and the fire and ice mages started to bicker.**

Master sighed. "We are going to hear about them go at it on this lacrima, too? What a pain!"

**When Lucy was hearing the sand mage stutter lullaby, a shadowed hand appeared and buried the mages tied to the tree to the ground.**

**The shadow or whatever it was outran Natsu and Gray yet Lucy, who was informed of the lullaby, repeated it to herself worriedly.**

Lucy gasped. "Don't tell me! It's that lullaby again?!"

"What lullaby?" Wendy asked, confused.

However, they were distracted by the scene on the lacrima.

**Back to Magnolia, a shadow was illuminated, far different from before, and made its way across town. The people stared with their mouths hanging open at the woman carrying a large horn on one hand.**

**It was Erza.**

Lucy, along with several others, shrieked when the guild doors burst opened and, like the lacrima was playing a trick on them, Erza walked in with a satisfied smile and dusted her hands.

"What did I miss?" Erza asked softly as she stared up at the screen and froze at the sight of her face. "I missed my…." She took a deep breath before continuing, "I'm going to punish them again for this! I missed my entrance!" She strolled out before anyone could say anything.

Not that they could. She _was_ Erza.


End file.
